Page 40 - The Apple Experience

through its gates each and every day. I enjoy bringing my daughters to
Disneyland in Anaheim, California. As a communications specialist I

experience Disney a little differently than the typical tourist. While most

people are looking up at the rides, I’m looking down at the spotless grounds.

Litter is almost nonexistent on Disney’s Main Street or any other street in

the park. The employees are friendly and outgoing, and they all have a sense

of ownership over the experience each guest receives at the park. That’s why

they pick up litter when they see it. There’s a restaurant near my office where
the parking lot is always filled with cigarette butts left by employees on their

breaks. Needless to say, I’ve never eaten there, because if the employees don’t

even care about the grounds, they certainly will not care about the food or the

service.

Disney employees deliver a consistent experience because the

organization is dedicated to a four-step approach to people management:

selection, training, communication, and care. The Disney approach is worth
reviewing because the steps reinforce some of the same principles behind

Apple’s approach to hiring, retaining, and motivating high-performing

employees. These steps are well documented and transparent.

1. Selection. Disney shares the conditions of employment right up front. If a job
candidate applies online at http://www.disneycareers.com, Disney’s vision,

culture, and Disney’s famous appearance guidelines are clearly outlined. For
people who apply in person at one of Disney’s casting calls (Disney doesn’t hire

for jobs; it “casts” for roles), they are shown a video that explains compensation,
appearance, scheduling, and transportation. Most organizations hire people who

can do a job, and as a result, the culture gets created by default. Disney and Apple
design cultures, and they look for people who are passionate about them and who

want to fit in.